B2a: Foothold
by Missilun
Summary: IceHawk and his team are woken from stasis to resume their war against the Breed. but this time IceHawk must rescue someone close to him.


**B-2a: Foothold **

IceHawk is sitting in the armoury of Darwin checking his rifle.

"Ice?" IceHawk spins round.

"Yes Kara?"

"What are you doing?"

"Nuffin much, I'm just checking my rifle for the next mission."

Kara sits down next to IceHawk and looks at him.

"You know you don't have to do this Icey?"

"Kara, you among all people know this is something I have to do. Don't worry; I'll be back as soon as I'm done. You take care you hear me?"

"Don't do anything foolish now; we don't want to loose one of our best soldiers."

"Don't worry Kara I'll be fine." IceHawk leaves the armoury and walks to the flight deck. _I can't believe I've been picked for this mission, its suicide. But I'm glad Kara didn't get chosen, she is a good friend and I don't know what I could do without her. _

"IceHawk?" IceHawk stops mid-stride just before he reaches the flight deck.

"Yes Gunny?" Gunny walks up next to IceHawk and they both walk towards the flight deck.

"You do realise that u may not come back from this mission?"

"Sarg, I understand. And do u understand that I am a good soldier?" Ice smiles.

Gunny laughs, "I'm sure you'll do fine IceHawk, just give us a call when you are done."

"Will do Sarg." IceHawk and gunny enter the flight deck and Ice walks over to the fighter that has been prepared for him. _I hope I don't get into a firefight on my way down, this is meant to be a covert mission, not a fireworks show. _IceHawk climbs into the fighter and starts the engines up. _I would love to see the look and any Breeds face when their base explodes. _IceHawk chuckles to himself as he leaves Darwin .

"Hey Icey!" IceHawk looks behind him to see Kara in another fighter following him.

"What the hell are you doing Kara?" he asks angrily.

"I'm coming with you bro."

"No you're not, get back to Darwin !"

"IceHawk," Gunny's voice comes through the radio, "she is coming with you, and you will have a better chance of success if she does."

"Oh for christ sake Gunny!"

"IceHawk! shut-up and do your job. That's an order."

IceHawk rolls his eyes, "yes sir."

"So where is this base we are gonna be blowing up Ice?"

"It's in sector 3-5. And it's a mine."

"Oh well. I'll still like to see the looks on the Breed face when we blow it up."

IceHawk smiles to himself.

"Shit!" Yells Kara over the radio, "three Breed fighters coming out of the atmosphere!"

"Oh looks, the fireworks. Let's take them out."

"Ok bro, it's your call."

Both Kara and IceHawk engage the fighters and manage to take out two of them.

"Oh for fuck sake!"

"What's the matter now Kara?"

"I have five more contacts headed in fast! They're heavy bombers!"

"Shit! Darwin , we need backup! I repeat! We need immediate backup!"

"Scrambling fighters now sergeant, they will be with you in a minute."

"We don't have a minute Darwin ! These are heavy Bombers!"

The Bombers come into range and both IceHawk and Kara engage them. One of the bombers launches a missile and it plunges into the side of Kara's fighter crippling it badly.

"I'm hit! I'm hit! Mayday Mayday!"

"Kara! Get back to Darwin !"

"I can't, I'm being pulled into the planet!"

Kara's fighter begins to enter the atmosphere and is burning up.

"Kara, hold on!" calls IceHawk, "I'll break you through."

IceHawk swerves around a Heavy Bomber and flies towards Kara.

"Ice! Stop!" she calls, "I'm breaking up you'll kill yourself!"

IceHawk swoops his fighter in front of Kara's and he begins to take most of the heat from re-entry. Kara's fighter is still burning up but both of them make it through the atmosphere and under cloud level.

"Ice, I'm done for! Get back to Darwin before they take you out as well!"

"I'm not leaving you Kara!"

"Ice! Get the fuck out of here!"

IceHawk pulls up as Kara hurtles to the ground. The fighter disappears into some trees before an eruption of bright yellow flame.

"NOOOOOO!"

"IceHawk! Return to Darwin ! Mission Aborted!"

IceHawk flies back to Darwin and is escorted to the flight desk by a fighter wing.

When he lands he climbs out of the cockpit and walks up to Gunny who is standing a few metres away.

"You fucking bastard!" he screams, "you ordered her to come with me! And now she is dead!" IceHawk raises his fist and is about to strike Gunny as a medic jams a needle into his neck. IceHawk fades out and falls into unconsciousness.

IceHawk wakes to a loud hissing sound. He opens his eyes and looks out of the stasis chamber to see Wraith and Mioco standing there with a couple of medics.

The gas begins to clear and the lid of the camber folds back open.

"Ice? Can you hear me?" asks Wraith

IceHawk blinks for a bit, "yea, I think so."

"Welcome back sir." Says Mioco as the two of them help IceHawk out of the chamber.

"Where is Emily?" asks IceHawk looking around.

"Gunny said he will explain in the briefing." says Wraith as IceHawk gets to his feet.

"Ok, where is everyone else?"

"They are all awake and waiting in the briefing room for us."

"We had better hurry up then."

Wraitho hands IceHawk his battle armour.

"We will be leaving as soon as the brief is over."

IceHawk takes his armour and begins to attach it to his suit as him and the two others walk to the briefing room.

"What the hell happened here?" he asks looking round at the plasma burns on the corridor walls.

"I dunno," replied Mioco as they turned a corner, "but Gunny said he would explain everything".

The three of them enter the briefing room,

"If it aint sleeping beauty himself!" calls M-ith across the room laughing.

"Quiet down M-ith." Orders Gunny.

IceHawk, Mioco and Wraith all sit down and look at Gunny.

"Ok people, here's the deal. Just a few days after IceHawk was put into stasis, Darwin was attacked by the Breed! We have had casualty reports from all over the ship and reports of massive Breed movement on Earths surface, the Breed are up to something people and we need to find out what! I have decided to wake Sergeant IceHawk and his team early because of these latest happenings. We have also had confirmed reports of the Breed abducting certain high ranking personnel and scientists. If you wish to look over the list of those who where killed or still missing then they are available from the ships computer." The screen behind gunny shows a picture of a ruined and burning base, flicking through pictures of different angles of the base he speaks again, "this it what is left of our main HQ! The Breed hit it hard when we managed to drive them away from Darwin . We have had reports of isolated distress calls from the catacombs below. IceHawk, you are to take your team along with a few Grunts and recover as many people as you can. Then you are to rendezvous with Delta flight to return to Darwin ."

IceHawk nods and looks round at the rest of his team. A few of them look back at him and smile. They try to smile happily, but IceHawk sees something in them, they are hiding something.

"IceHawk? Is there a problem?" calls Gunny.

"Not at all sir." He lies.

"Good!"

A female soldier walks into the briefing room, but she is not a sniper.

"Most of you will already know Carla." Says Gunny raising his hand and pointing at the woman as she stops next to him. M-ith raises his hand.

"I don't!"

A few of the soldiers in the room quietly laugh. Gunny looks at IceHawk and the rest of his team.

"IceHawk, this is Carla."

IceHawk stands up.

"Afternoon Carla. May I introduce? WraithoX, second in command. Mioco, EmBob, Snipers. RaGe, Heavy Weapons. Skifer, M-ithran, Advanced Grunts.

"Ah yes, the IceHawk. I've heard much about you sergeant. I look forward to meeting on the surface." Replies Carla.

"Carla will be coming with you on this mission IceHawk, please don't get her killed."

Carla frowns at Gunny and a few people in the room laugh.

"So what else is happening then Gunny?" asks IceHawk.

"We will be sending a large ground team down to clear a new area for the HQ; we will try and get that operational in a few weeks. There will be artillery movements to recapture key structures that we have lots to the Breed and we are also going to try and recapture an old Nuclear Bunker we have found."

"So we will need the best from everyone in then next few months," interrupts Carla, "Because these next few months will decide if we regain a proper foothold on Earth or weather we have lost it completely!"

"Exactly!" confirms Gunny, "so if I find anyone not doing their job properly they will be spending the next week removing my boot from their ass! Do I make myself clear?"

The whole room acknowledges Gunny's orders.

"Good, then get too it!"

Everyone in the briefing room stands up and walks out quietly talking to each other.

"IceHawk!"

"Yes Gunny?" IceHawk stops and turns round. Gunny waits until everyone has left the room before continuing.

"There is something you must know."

"Sir?"

"Emily was in the catacombs when the base was attacked."

"Are you sure sir?"

"Yes IceHawk, I'm sorry but we don't know if she is still alive or not."

"I'll have my team ready in five minutes sir!"

IceHawk begins to walk off.

"IceHawk, there are other people down there to save as well, don't forget them."

IceHawk smiles as he walks off to the armoury.

As IceHawk arrives into the armoury Mioco is there gearing up.

"Sergeant? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine Kara. We'll get those people out of there and be back in one piece."

"Who sir?" asked Mioco puzzled.

"What?"

"You called me Kara." She replied turning around.

"No I didn't." IceHawk smiled as he shook his head.

"Sir, something is wrong, what is it?"

"I told you Mioco, everything is just fine. We will go and save these people then help rebuild the HQ."

Mioco rolls here eyes as she walks out of the armoury clipping her sniper to her back.

IceHawk checks his rifle. _Why the fuck did I call her Kara? Kara has been dead for months. Admittedly she looks like Kara. What is it with me lately? Hmm, I'm loosing it. _IceHawk quietly laughs to himself before leaving the armoury.

The Flight deck is a bustle of activity: ammo and supplies being carted everywhere, People running in all directions. IceHawk hears a voice in the distance.

"Hurry up sir," calls Wraith from a dropship, "we need to get moving."

IceHawk runs to the dropship where Wraith is and boards it. He sits down in one of the seats and relaxes for a moment.

"Glad you could make it IceHawk."

Ice looks up to see Carla sitting opposite him.

"So which one of us is the ranking person?" asks IceHawk as the rear hatch of the dropship closes.

"For this mission? It's you IceHawk," she replies disappointed, "Gunny said you would be better to lead this operation as you know the terrain better.

"So what do we have for this mission?" asks IceHawk eagerly.

"Well," Carla points to the other two dropships, "we have the rest of your team and 5 Grunts in the other dropships. In here," Carla pulls out a metal ammo crate from under her seat and slides it towards IceHawk, "we have some high explosives and basic mining and survival equipment. Two of the other grunts also have more advanced mining equipment."

"Why all the mining gear?" asks IceHawk looking through the ammo box.

"With the force that the Breed hit there is most likely to be some cave-ins with the catacombs, the survival equipment is just incase we get cut off from the entrance and need to dig our way out."

The dropship begins to shudder as it enters the atmosphere. IceHawk closes the ammo box and slides it back towards Carla. Getting up he walks to the rear hatch if the dropship as it descends through the cloud line.

"Is there a problem IceHawk?" asks Carla watching him stand near the rear hatch.

"It's nothing. I've just been having thoughts about an old friend of mine."

"Who was he?" enquires Carla standing up and walking up next to him.

"She was Kara. We where the only two field operatives based on Darwin that weren't raised in embryo chambers."

"So you had real mothers?"

"Yes, very few lower ranking solders where natural born back then. I'm one of very few left now."

"Sergeant?" calls the pilot from the cockpit. IceHawk turns around. "We will be landing in a few seconds."

"Ok pilot, I'll inform the other dropships." IceHawk, Carla and Wraith get their rifles and stand near the rear hatch, Carla also picks up the metal ammo box and fastens it to her back, "this is IceHawk to Delta cargo, prepare to disembark!"

The other dropships make their acknowledgments and stand ready.

"We will be landing a few metres away from the derelict base, so keep on your guard as there may still be Breed in the area!"

The dropships rear hatch opens up, Carla, IceHawk and Wraith jump out as the other two dropships also empty. There is a few seconds of silence as all fourteen soldiers kneel down and scan around with their rifles. The dropships begin to take off.

"Thank you Delta wing, we will call you when we need pickup."

"Confirmed IceHawk, safe hunting."

The dropships disappear over the horizon out of sight.

IceHawk makes a few hand movements signalling his team to fall behind him.

"Wraith, take RaGe, Skifer, M-ith and two Grunts to secure a perimeter around the base, look for any entrances into the catacombs. Report any enemy contact."

"Aye sir!" M-ith, Rage and Skifer follow Wraith round the base.

"Everyone else, follow me, we are going inside the base."

IceHawk stands up and begins to walk to the base entrance, the other soldiers follow, all of them still scanning the landscape with their guns.

"Sir," whispers EmBob, "I see contacts near the entrance."

"All stop." Orders IceHawk. The whole team stop and crouch down, "what do you see EmBob?"

"A Hunter and three Warriors. Wait, they are moving, they have seen something in the tree line and are going to investigate."

Carla crouches down between EmBob and IceHawk.

"I think we should get moving Ice."

"Good idea," IceHawk signals to the rest of his team and they all advance cautiously on the base once more.

They get to the main entrance and press up against the wall, IceHawk slowly peers around the corner and observes the courtyard for a few seconds before turning back to the rest of his team.

"We don't seem to be the only ones who received the distress calls." He whispers

Mioco moves up next to IceHawk.

"What's the count?" she asks him.

"A General, six Hunters, fourteen Warriors and god knows how many Soldiers. You check." IceHawk stands back from the opening a little and Mioco slowly peers into the courtyard.

"Eighty-three," she whispers confidently, "We won't be able to take them out and complete the mission. And there is probably more around somewhere."

IceHawk whispers into his radio, "Wraitho? Are you there?"

"I am sir, what you found?"

"A shit load of Breed. Have you found an entrance?"

"Nothing yet sir, we are still looking."

"Ok, keep on your guard. IceHawk out"

IceHawk turns to Carla, "What do you suggest?"

"I think we should try to sneak past them and see what they are guarding."

"A general is not usually in a guard patrol Carla."

"So why do you think they are here then IceHawk?"

"A General is the head of an army, I think they are here to capture the base and use it for their own means."

Carla nods, "could be. I still think we should take a look."

"Carla, I'm not taking my team into there, but you're welcome to go in by yourself though."

Gunfire is heard from around the wall followed by shouting. Wraith shouts over the radio, "Sir! We have contact! A tone of Breed soldiers! Requesting backup!"

"Shit!" whispers IceHawk, "ok, move around and assist Wraitho."

IceHawk and the rest of the team run back around the side of the base towards the gunfire. Wraitho can be heard shouting orders while RaGe is screaming out taunts at the Breed while firing his Atrocity, "Suck on that you bastards we where here first!"

"Wraitho, friendlys at six o'clock!" shouts IceHawk as he joins Wraith in cover behind some wreckage. The other soldiers also jump into cover as plasma shots wiz past them.

"Glad you could make it IceHawk!" says Wraith unloading a few bullets into the opposing Breed.

"What's the count Wraith?" asks IceHawk cocking his rifle.

"Fuck knows!" replies Wraith laughing as he drops back down to reload, "but we lost both our Grunts in the ambush."

IceHawk looks over at the two fallen Grunts, "at least _you're_ all ok."

Looking over the top of his cover IceHawk primes and throws a grenade towards the Breed before ducking back down.

One of the Grunts drops to the ground his chest and head crisp from plasma shots.

IceHawk looks over at him, "Bloody Grunts." He says before unloading a clip into the oncoming Breed.

"Targets at six o'clock!" calls Skifer.

IceHawk spins around to see a large group of Breed soldiers heading towards them.

"Fuck off damit!" he yells as he scrambles for Carla, "what explosives do we have in the box?"

Carla quickly unfastens the box from her back and opens it up. Another Grunt is shot dead and falls back onto the box. IceHawk grabs him and throws him out the way.

"Bingo!" yells IceHawk pulling out a clump of dynamite from the box, "how do we light it?"

"With this." Carla pulls out a small lighter from a belt pouch. IceHawk smiles and lights the fuse on the dynamite.

"Fire in the hole!" he yells as the dynamite hurtles towards the soldiers behind them. The whole team stop firing and duck down covering their heads with there hands. There is a massive explosion and metallic screams as Breed body parts fly in all directions. IceHawk looks up and sees that the explosion has opened up an entrance to the catacombs. "Everyone inside!" he calls. Without argument they all charge over to the entrance of the catacombs half ducked. Breed sniper shot begin to shoot past them. "Hurry up people!" calls IceHawk.

RaGe shouts out as he is hit in the shoulder by a plasma shot. He falls over and rolls a few times before stopping. The last Grunt is shot in the head by a sniper round from the Breed; the Grunts head explodes and M-ith's left arm and back are coated in blood.

"Come on you fat git!" says IceHawk as him and Skifer grabs RaGe's arms and drag him down the hole landing on the floor with a thud after falling about three metres down into a large cavern. The rest of the team also jump down without hesitation as the sky becomes thick with shots from Breed weapons, all of them landing with a thud after the fall. The soldiers clamber to their feet and follow IceHawk down one of the stone corridors.

"We need to blow the passage so the Breed can't follow us." Calls Carla to IceHawk.

"Good idea, where's the explosives?" he asks stopping as the rest of them carry on for a few more metres.

"Didn't you pick them up?"

"No, I though you had them." Replies IceHawk puzzled.

"Oh for fuck sake!" calls RaGe stopping next to IceHawk, "out of the way!"

Everyone moves out of the way as RaGe primes a grenade a rolls it down the corridor.

"RUN!" yells IceHawk. Everyone runs as fast as they can down the corridor. The grenade explodes and the corridor shakes furiously knocking everyone over. IceHawk looks back through the passage to see it collapsing behind them.

"Ok, now what?" asks Carla angrily.

"Calm down, we will get out yet, these are catacombs." Replies IceHawk.

"And how long do you think we will survive down here without the survival gear?"

"What? The gear you where meant to be carrying?"

"To-chet" remarks M-ith trying to wipe the coating of blood from his arm, only succeeding in spreading it around his arm even more.

"Look IceHawk!" shouts Carla raising her rifle at his head in one hand, "just because your girlfriend is down here doesn't mean you can put all our lives at risk!"

"Don't point a gun at me unless your gonna use it." Says IceHawk glancing at the rifle.

"If u don't buck up your ideas then I will use it!"

At that point Mioco spin-kicks Carla's rifle out of her hand while IceHawk raises his rifle firmly to her temple.

"Bang," says IceHawk grinning, "If you try it I'll blow the back of your head off first."

"This is insubordination IceHawk!"

"No it's not Carla because I'm the ranking personnel in this mission."

"Do you two love birds mind?" interrupts Wraith, "we are stuck in the catacombs with an army of Breed on our tail and no way of contacting Darwin , now let's find theses survivors and get the fuck out of here."

"Good idea Wraith, where is the nearest distress call?"

"Its a few metres down this passage."

"Ok, let's get going then." IceHawk takes his rifle away from Carla's temple and begins to walk down the passageway, "Carla, bring up the rear."

"Yes sir." She replies reluctantly.

A few minutes of walking through the catacombs brings the team to a cave-in. IceHawk leans in it and listens through it.

"According to the scanner there are people behind here." Whispers Wraith to IceHawk. IceHawk taps the butt of his gun on the fallen rocks, still listening with his ear pressed up against the rocks. There is no reply, IceHawk knocks again, but harder, still no reply.

"Are you sure there are life signs behind here?" he asks.

"Positive sir, this is also where one of the beacons are."

IceHawk picks up a rock and bashes it firmly on the fallen rocks, still no reply from the other side. IceHawk drops the rock back on the ground and looks back up the passage.

"Any ideas?" asks IceHawk.

Everyone shakes their heads accept RaGe who passes a grenade to IceHawk.

"It's worth a try." says IceHawk priming it. Everyone steps back a little as IceHawk jams the grenade in the rocks, "Fire in the hole!" IceHawk jumps back and everyone ducks down and waits for the grenade to explode. There is a massive boom as rocks are thrown down the corridor. The team stand up and look at where the cave-in was.

"Oh for Christ sake!" shouts Carla, "its still there!"

"Give the girl a biscuit for stating the obvious!" replies IceHawk sarcastically as he walks over the rubble to the remaining rocks.

"What now? Another grenade may collapse this whole passage on our heads." remarks Mioco.

"Quiet a minute!" whisper IceHawk leaning against the rocks. The whole team falls silent and looks intently at IceHawk who taps on the rocks with his rifle a few times. There is an answer! The same tap rhythm is sent back.

"Looks like we have found someone!" says Wraith, "lets see if we can move the rest of these rocks out of the way without the use of explosives."

"Good idea Wraith." Replies IceHawk beginning to move the rocks. The rest of the team form up two lines and pass the rocks person to person to the end of the line where they are placed against the walls. After a few minutes of moving rocks an opening appears. The lights on the other side are dead.

"Hold on people, stop there," Says IceHawk to his team before looking through the gap, "Is there anyone in here?" he says peering into the darkness. A voice replies in the distance.

"Over here."

IceHawk unclips the torch from his belt and shines it into the other room, it is a complete mess, rocks, boulders and twisted metal litter the cavern, the dust is thick.

"Where are you?" calls IceHawk scanning around the room with his torch. There are a lot of dead in the room, the smell is unbearable. IceHawk squeezes his way through the gap in the rocks and looks back through, "Mioco, RaGe, Skifer, come with me. The rest of you wait here." Mioco, RaGe and Skifer all climb through the gap and Wraith passes IceHawk his rifle. The four of them get out their torches and scan around the fallen rocks of the cavern.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" IceHawk calls again.

"Sergeant IceHawk? Is that you?" the voice calls back.

"Yes it is, who are you? And where are you?"

A red flare is lit up near the centre of the cavern. The four soldiers cautiously move towards it stepping over the countless dead bodies.

"Hello?" calls IceHawk as he turns round a clump of rocks. There are three people there, a Grunt and an Engineer sat against a large boulder, there is also a female Medic that is lying on her side.

The engineer looks up at IceHawk and RaGe as they come closer, Skifer and Mioco continue to look around the cavern for more survivors.

"Sergeant IceHawk, the name is Shadow. We met in the prison before you were put into stasis."

"Who else do we have here?" asks IceHawk slowly rolling the medic onto her back."

"We don't know her name. She was unconscious when we found her. She has been slipping in and out mumbling something. But we can't make out what."

"I know her name, its Emily." Replies Ice checking her pulse, "she seems badly hurt, have you given her anything?"

"No, we don't have any supplies down here. The Breed attacked and left us for dead before closing the passageway behind them. We are the last three survivors of this group; we don't know how many more groups are lost out there though."

"Its ok, me and my team will get you all out of here. Do you have a weapon?"

"I do but it's out of ammo." Shadow points to his shotgun a few metres away from them.

"Sir!" shouts Wraith from the cavern entrance, "we are loosing all the distress calls!"

"What do you mean your loosing all the distress calls?" calls back IceHawk

"I mean, they are just disappearing, one by one."

"That's not a good sign Wraith."

"You're telling me."

IceHawk turns back to Shadow, "Ok, take my gun for the moment and take this Grunt to the rest of my team." IceHawk passes Shadow his rifle.

"Ok, I'll see you in a moment." Shadow gets to his feet with the Grunt and they both move to the entrance of the cavern. IceHawk kneels down next to Emily and places his hand on her cheek.

"Darling? Can you hear me?" he whispers softly. Emily stirs a little and slowly opens her eyes.

"IceHawk?" she whispers

"Yes, I'm here gorgeous." He replies softly.

"How are you feeling?"

"Not so good huni, I have a broken upper leg and I think I have internal bleeding. My suit is helping a little but I don't know how long I can hold out for." Emily tries to sit up.

"Hold on darling, I'll get you out of here," IceHawk stands up and looks around in the darkness, "Mioco, Skifer, Have you found anything?"

Mioco drops down from the large boulder and lands next to him, "we have a few rifle clips, some minor Medi Packs and what seems to be a Breed leg. I told Skifer to go back with the rest of the group"

IceHawk raises his eyebrow, "a leg?"

"Yes sir, a leg."

"Fine. Any of those packs able to help Emily here?"

"No, we haven't found anything that can do anything for her I'm afraid."

IceHawk kneels down next to Emily again and puts his hand gently on her leg; the flimsy armour in medic colours is only just holding the break in place. Emily looks up at him again, "what are you thinking?"

"I was looking over some history books about old field medic tactics."

Emily, Mioco and RaGe look at him puzzled.

"And what did you find sir?" ask RaGe.

IceHawk thinks for a moment, "Rage and Mioco, I need you to find two poles about six foot long each and some sturdy cloth of some kind."

RaGe and Mioco look at each other puzzled, "You look for the cloth, ill look for the poles." Says RaGe shrugging his shoulders. Mioco nods and disappears out of site again.

"I hope you know what your doing sir." Remarks RaGe walking off into the darkness.

IceHawk smiles at Emily for a moment, Emily looks back at him curiously, "What's this then Huni?"

"A little something I was reading through."

"I didn't know u read old books, you can get a lot more things from the ships computer."

"I used to read before I was posted on Darwin . I've not had the time to since then."

Mioco walks out of the darkness and crouches down beside Emily and IceHawk, "this ok sir?" she says dropping a load of torn rags beside him, "got it from inside the armour from a load of the Grunts here.

IceHawk picks up some of the rags and looks at them, "perfect!"

There is a crash of metal a few metres away from the group,

"Damit bitch!" RaGe's voice echoes through the cavern. There is a clang of metal upon metal. Rocks begin to fall from the ceiling. IceHawk huddles over Emily to shield her as he is pelted with rocks.

A few moments later the shower stops.

Wraith calls into the cavern, "is everything ok sir?"

IceHawk gets off Emily and looks over her,

"You ok gorgeous?" he asks.

Emily nods, "I think so"

IceHawk turns to Mioco who is dusting off her armour, "you ok?"

"I'll live," she replies picking up a rock and throwing it behind her.

"We are ok Wraith, stay there; we will be out in a moment."

"Ok sir." Call back Wraith.

"Sorry about that sir," says RaGe coming out of the darkness, "these poles didn't want to move."

Mioco looks at the poles at RaGe puts them next to Emily, "that's because they are supports, they where holding the roof up you idiot!"

"Well done RaGe," commends IceHawk sarcastically, "we are ok but be careful next time, or I will hit you with every rock that hits one of us, understand?"

RaGe drops his head a little and sighs, "yes sir."

"Good, now give me a hand here, tie all these rags together."

Mioco and RaGe tie all the rags together as IceHawk ties them to the poles.

A few moments of knotting a more tearing IceHawk stops and pulls the two poles apart. The rags have made a sort of mesh wide enough for one person to lie on.

"It's called a stretcher" he remarks smiling and laying it next to Emily.

"Why didn't I think of that?" asks Emily to herself.

IceHawk smiles, "because you don't read old history books darling," he turns to RaGe, "help me put her on the stretcher."

RaGe holds onto Emily's legs and IceHawk holds onto her shoulders hand they lift her onto the stretcher. Emily yelps in pain as RaGe clumsily handles her.

"Careful RaGe!" she cries, "my leg is broken you know!"

RaGe steps back a little, "sorry." He whispers.

"Grunt!" Calls IceHawk toward the entrance. The Grunt comes scampering into view.

"Yes sergeant?"

"Help RaGe carry this medic out of here with us."

"Yes sir"

The Grunt and RaGe lift up Emily on the stretcher and follow IceHawk and Mioco out of the cavern.

Wraitho and the rest of them have cleared the rest of the rocks so the four of them easily get Emily out of the cavern.

"Where to now Wraith?"

Just then an explosion rocks the catacombs and dusk plumes through the corridor.

"What the hell was that?" calls out EmBob.

"That was our pursuers." Replies Wraitho looking at his scanner.

"Where to then Wraith?"

"Erm, I think we should go that way," Wraith points back down the corridor, "there is a junction a few metres up, after that there is an opening to the surface."

"Which way are the Breed coming from?"

"The other end of the junction."

"And there are no other ways out of here?"

"No other ways that won't send us through a cave-in or a lump of Breed."

"Let's get moving then!" commands IceHawk running down the corridor towards the junction with the rest of his team following.

The air is thick with dust when they reach the junction. The team can see the glowing eyes of Breed in the distance.

"Skifer, M-ith, lay down cover fire!"

Skifer, M-ith and IceHawk kneel down and level their rifles on the oncoming Breed. They open fire. Bullets ring down the corridor and ricochet off the walls or embed themselves into the Breed. The rest of the team round the corner behind them and head towards the surface.

"You two cover rear, I'm going up front!"

Skifer and M-ith Nod at IceHawk as he runs to the front of the group.

The corridor slopes upwards into a small outhouse. The door is sealed but soon gives way after Mioco shoves it hard with her shoulder.

The area outside the small building is an open plain littered with wreckage and debris.

"We have to get out of here," Calls IceHawk looking out of the door, "Follow me"

The team follow IceHawk through the wreckage, gunshots can still be heard from behind them as M-ith and Skifer hold off the Breed from behind them.

"INCOMMING!" shouts RaGe as five Breed fighters fly over them.

"Keep moving people, we need to get to the dropships." IceHawk turns to Wraitho, "Which way wraith?"

"West sir, but there are a Breed Dropships headed this way, we wont be able to make it, even if we didn't have Emily with us."

IceHawk looks into the distance and sees a large group of Breed Dropships coming towards them. He looks down to ground level.

"I bet you didn't see them as well Wraith."

"In-fact sir, I was about to mention the massive amount of Breed Soldiers coming this way plus the artillery behind them!"

A plasma shell arches over and slams into a nearby metal frame, mangling it even more.

"Spread out! Dig in! We are being surrounded!"

The whole team takes up defensive positions and prepares for the onslaught of Breed.

RaGe and the Grunt put Emily down behind some rocks before joining the rest of the team in defence.

"Sir, we wont live if they attack full strength!" calls Wraith.

"I know Wraith. Just hold your ground; I'm calling Delta wing over to us."

Wraith joins the rest of the team aiming at the oncoming Breed forces that are not yet in range of their rifles.

IceHawk grabs his radio and tunes it into Delta wing's Frequency.

"This is Sergeant IceHawk to Delta wing, come in Delta Wing!"

"This is Delta wing, we read you."

"We are pinned down and need immediate extraction!"

"We can't get in there sergeant, there are too many Breed there, we will be shot to pieces!"

"PILOT! If you don't get here now then my team will be shot to pieces."

"I'm sorry sir, Grunts are expendable. Dropships are not." With that the radio cuts out.

"Delta wing! Come in!"

There is no reply.

"Oh for Christ sake!"

Mioco is under cover behind a large boulder near IceHawk.

"Sir, they are almost in range."

"Ok people, we have no back-up, hold the Breed off for as long as possible!"

IceHawk's team look around in disbelief. Another plasma shell arches over towards the team.

"ARTILLERY!" shouts RaGe just before the shot hits the ground causing it to bulge upwards in a blaze of orange flame sending dirt and debris everywhere.

The Breed come in rifle range.

"FIRE AT WILL!" shouts IceHawk. There is a blaze of gunfire as IceHawk, WraithoX, RaGe, M-ithran, Skifer, EmBob, Mioco, Carla and the Grunt all open fire on the oncoming Breed forces. The Breed bodies jerk and drop as they are riddled with bullet holes, but still they advance. The sound is unbearable. Volley after volley of artillery tear the ground apart around the team tossing aside earth and rock like leaves in the wind. The Breed Soldiers return fire: their weapons glow blue as they discharge their lethal plasma bursts. Rocks crack under the intense heat as they are continuously bombarded by the Breed weaponry, the metal wreckage begins to glow as they are too also hit by burning plasma. Individual team members duck behind cover to reload when their rifles click out in protest at dry clips.

"Sir!" IceHawk hears the voice of RaGe amidst all the commotion, "I'm running low on ammo, we can't hold out much longer sir!"

"I know RaGe, but if we are going to die here, we shall make sure the Breed remember this battle every time they fire a weapon. Keep firing soldier!"

RaGe smiles at the IceHawk's zeal, replenishing his clip he continues to fire into the Breed ranks, his Atrocity cannon singing louder than the rest of the team.

The Breed soldiers continue to advance fearlessly on the defenders like a pack of wolves on a dieing deer.

The Breed Dropships come into range and begin to drop Warriors into the forces.

RaGe pulls up his rocket launcher and shoots one of the ships: the rocket plunges into its side sending a plume of flame outwards. The Dropship's engines flicker for a moment before the whole hulk of metal plummets to the ground flattening a large group of Breed in a crumple of metal and flame.

RaGe smiles as he drops his launcher and picks his Atrocity back up to continue firing.

The Breed continue to advance. They are undeterred by the loss of their Dropship or the many soldiers and Warriors in the crash.

"I need a clip, I'm out of ammo!" shouts M-ith.

Wraith pulls a clip from his belt and chucks it to M-ith who rams it in his rifle and continues to fire.

The Breed still advance: their eyes glowing through the dust and smoke of battle.

"Sir!" called Mioco, "we can't hold them back and we are running out of ammo fast!"

"I know Mioco, just keep firing. We have a mission to kill as many of the Breed as possible," Ice smile, "even if we are going to die."

Mioco takes a deep breath and resumes firing.

The Breed Advance onwards over the dead bodies of their comrades. Undeterred and unforgiving. Fearless mechanical power. Pure destruction in earthly forms.

IceHawk looks around the battlefield: the Breed continue to grow in numbers by the minute even though many are being killed. They are getting closer and closer to the team. Soldiers and Warriors, armour reflecting the flashes from their guns.

IceHawk looks around at the rest of his team for a moment.

M-ith, with his left arm and back still coated in blood is roaring as each bullet thunders from his rifle, the muzzle flash leaping and coiling like a serpent.

Skifer is holding behind a mangled metal support reloading his rifle. An artillery shell plunges into the ground nearby sending a shower of dirt over him, shaking it off he grits his teeth, rams a clip into his rifle and resumes firing into the mechanical mayhem.

EmBob is lying belly down between two rocks; her rifle is discarded to the side with its clip missing, and her Surekill held firmly in her clutches, jerking back with the back-kick of each shot.

Wraith is smiling as he lets out round after round from his rifle; he stops to reload ducking down behind his rock. Briefly he looks up at IceHawk and nods, IceHawk nods back as Wraith resumes firing.

Mioco has a menacing grin on her as she picks apart the Breed with her sniper rifle as well. Each shot sending her shoulder thudding backwards with the force of the rifle.

RaGe is firmly holding his Atrocity and unleashing its deadly power into the Breed forces while shouting taunts and insults. He pauses for a moment and rips a grenade from his belt; priming it he hurls it into the Breed forces while letting out a bloodthirsty war cry. Ice smiles.

Carla is sitting behind a rock examining a spend clip, she throws it away and rams in another one before resuming firing

The Grunt is shooting away without feeling or fear of the impending death they will soon meet.

Shadow, the saviour from the prison complex, is sitting next to Emily unable to fight without a weapon. He picks up a steel pole ready to meet the Breed face to face.

Emily, his dearest, slowly fading away in the chaos of the battle. IceHawk sighs; he doubts if she will get out of here alive even if the rest of his team do.

IceHawk grips the trigger on his rifle, its leathery grip reminding him of who he is. This is the best damn team he has had the honour to serve with. Was he going to give up now? FUCK NO!

IceHawk smiles briefly as he resumes firing, the Breed still advancing on their position.

**- To Be Continued -**


End file.
